Obligation to register divorces and marriages.
Polish citizens born abroad can obtain a Polish passport, but they must register in Poland not only their birth certificate, but also all marriages and divorces. This obligation also applies to people who have not changed their surname after marriage (usually men). However, it sometimes happens that consulates issue passports to such persons despite the lack of registration of marriages and divorces. Registration of divorces is sometimes troublesome as in some cases it has to be done in court. This always applies to divorces granted before May 1, 2004 (for the EU) and before July 1, 2009 (for the rest of the world). If, in addition, the ex-spouse died, the court demands that his legal successors be designated. The whole procedure is long and sometimes takes several months, in complicated cases even over a year. All this is because many people (especially women living abroad) are de facto deprived of the right to have a Polish passport, which is a violation of their constitutional rights and exclusion from the rest of society.
